1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image-forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer or a facsimile machine and particularly to improvement in an image-forming apparatus having an image-forming unit and at least one sheet supply unit provided in a body of the apparatus, in which a sheet is carried substantially vertically from the sheet supply unit to the image-forming unit and then ejected.
2. Description of the Related Art
An image-forming apparatus having an image-forming unit such as a process cartridge disposed in a body of the apparatus, and at least one sheet supply unit disposed below the image-forming unit so that a sheet is carried substantially vertically from the sheet supply unit to the image-forming unit and ejected after the formation of an image on the sheet by the image-formation unit has been already known in the related art.
In this type image-forming apparatus, there has been used a method in which a measure against jamming in the sheet carrying path (hereinafter also referred to as anti-jamming process) or the maintenance of the apparatus is performed through an open door which is provided on a side of the apparatus body for opening the sheet carrying path (e.g., see Document 1).
[Document 1]
JP-A-6-156775
[Document 2]
JP-A-7-179234
In this type image-forming apparatus, it is however difficult to place the apparatus body near the wall from a point of view of keeping a space for opening the open door. There is a technical problem that the space for installation of the image-forming apparatus becomes large unnecessarily.
To solve the technical problem, there has been known a technique in which: a sheet carrying path is provided on the user operation side of the apparatus body; a cover for attaching/detaching a sheet cassette of a sheet supply unit is provided on a front side of the apparatus body so as to be opened/closed freely; and an operation of attaching/detaching the sheet cassette and a measure against jamming, etc., in the sheet carrying path are carried out in the condition that the attachment/detachment cover is opened (e.g., see Document 2).
In this type technique, the sheet carrying path extending from the sheet supply unit, however, must be disposed on a front side of the apparatus body. Accordingly, when the sheet cassette is to be attached/detached, it is necessary to carry out an operation of attaching/detaching the sheet cassette after the attachment/detachment cover is once opened. There is a disadvantage that the operation of attaching/detaching the sheet cassette is troublesome. In addition, this type technique cannot at all be applied to an apparatus in which the sheet carrying path is disposed on a rear side of the apparatus body. There is also a disadvantage that the image-forming apparatus lacks general-purpose properties.